Saturday, September 26, 2009

Orchestra

An orchestra was a mysterious thing to me for a long time. I was kind of plopped into them when I was just learning to play the cello, and I didn't understand how all the moving parts fit together. I had rarely heard an orchestra before then and didn't know anything about the music we played.

One thing I didn't understand was what the conductor was doing up there. I had only the vaguest idea of beat patterns, meters, how tempo changes work, and how to watch for the downbeat. I just followed along with what everyone else was doing and tried not to come in in the wrong place. I probably did this for way, way too long -- but it's why playing in an orchestra is fun for string players who don't play so well and frustrating for those who do: One can mostly get away with this, and no one will notice (except your stand partner). Now, of course, I am a sophisticated, educated musician (cough, cough) and far better than that.

Several years ago, I was asked to play principal cello in a small chamber orchestra, and I've been in the job ever since. I'm paid only a small gratuity (shh! don't tell the musician's union!). There are many such orchestras, composed of a combination of volunteer and paid, amateur and professional musicians. Why, I often wonder, do people put so much time and effort into sustaining a group like this when there are more than enough professional orchestras giving concerts and making recordings? There's so much music-making going on that someone could listen to it all day every day. It must be because people find greater satisfaction in playing than in listening.

I've been in a lot of groups like these, both as a volunteer and as a paid professional. This is the first time I've been principal cellist for an extended time, and I like being able to guide (at least a bit) what goes on musically. When I was younger, I didn't appreciate how much work goes into putting a group like this together and organizing the musicians, the scheduling, the music, the venues, the money. I cringe now over how cavalierly critical I was about the groups I was in were run.

All I can do now is try to have a better attitude -- and not agree to do things I don't want to do. Both were hard for me when I was a struggling freelancer. I like having the option now to say no.

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Well-Tempered Clavier Project

I am on a quest to learn all 48 sets of preludes and fugues in Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier, "learning" including memorizing. I thought it might be interesting to collect all of my Bach efforts in one place; see the list below. Clicking on the link will open the recording so you can listen to it.

The recordings are in reverse chronological order (oldest last). The earliest was recorded in 2006.

I am NOT implying that these are definitive interpretations! Rather, this is meant to document my development as an amateur pianist.

I have actually learned these others as well but never tried recording them; maybe someday I will go back and resurrect them:

WTC II/20 in A minor
WTC I/21 in B flat major
WTC I/1 in C major
WTC I/2 in C minor